Fountains can be put to good use for Feng Shui in the garden. In order to understand how to use fountains in an outdoor area you need to acquire a feel for how energy flows in a garden and how Feng Shui techniques can be used to manipulate this energy. The successful use of Feng Shui can create a protective, soothing and enjoyable atmosphere. Rather then give a strict listing of rules or guidelines to follow this article will focus on acquiring a feel for intuitive Feng Shui techniques. Acquiring this skill will make any changes to your garden far more effective then using rules that are not tempered from your own experience in your unique garden setting.

Energy Flow In A Garden

Feng Shui means 'wind' and 'water'. Wind and water are here symbols for different types of frequencies of natural energy. It is traditionally believed that a balance in the different kinds of energy is the best environment to promote happiness, prosperity and enjoyment. In fact, many of the techniques and the philosophy underlying them are derived from very practical principals such as the ability of surrounding landforms to protect against invaders and the use of bodies of water to irrigate crops. When one king of energy dominates the others it can potentially lead to problems like an inability to relax, family discord or even foreclosure on a property or physical disease in those who live on the land. In Feng Shui we use natural elements in the environment to balance this energy in a garden.

Balancing Energy Through Feng Shui

In Feng Shui we use water, plants, accents and overall configurations to represent the different types of energy in nature. For example, we have air, fire, water, earth and spirit. Each element effects a garden in a particular manner. A garden fountain, water feature or pond is one of the best ways to introduce the water element. For fire, we can use things of a solar nature like lighting, including rechargeable solar cell stake lamps and the colors red and dark orange. Sundials are also excellent fire symbols. Anything with earth tones like browns, blacks and rust reds can effectively symbolize earth. Large stones are good earth symbols as well as brickwork and stone pathways and patios. Some easy air symbols to use include wind chimes, weather vanes, feathers and other accents that have a light carefree quality to them. Yellows and sometimes gold's can be good air colors, gold having more of a fire element mixed in then a yellow. The colors of flowers can also be used to represent the elements around a garden. As you add more of one element the feeling of the garden may change. For example, a lot of stonework or pathway may result in you feeling more grounded there and able to contemplate concrete solutions to things, while a wide open lawn will create an expansive feel conductive to daydreaming or cloud watching. Spirit will usually be the result of a harmonious balance being achieved between the other elements.

The easiest way to apply these principals is to arrange or add to your garden in a manner where the elements complement one another and there is not a dominance of one type of energy in any area. Of course, it may seem helpful to skew a garden in a particular direction, but unless you really know what you are doing it may create more of a problem then you already have. For example, practical people will generally want more of that type of energy in a garden, when what they really need is an opportunity to dream and reflect. Likewise, a business that values productivity may find it difficult to create a garden that enables employees to relax and have fun during rest breaks.

This is why balance is usually the best and safest route because you don't go from one extreme to the other. So if you have a wide open lawn you can add some pathways, a small stone wall for earth or maybe a small patio area with chairs and a table. A water fountain could be positioned not far off. Lights could be added to the fountain. Perhaps a glass vase with some light yellow flowers could be placed on the table. Glass also has both solar/fire and water qualities because it is solid yet light passes easily through.

The more contemplation you do the more things you will discover that fit into a particular category. After awhile you may be able to find an accent or plant, for example, and intuitively know what elemental category it falls into and where it may be a useful addition to your garden.

A further possibility for stimulating elemental qualities is by using lights with colored filters on a garden fountain. Light kits generally come with a set of colored lenses that can produce a specific mood in your garden, especially when colors are used in unison. For example, the use of red colored lights on a water fountain creates a fiery, romantic and passionate feel. Clear light has a more formal appearance. The great thing about lighting is that you can change it to suit your mood.